Inquiry for Indigenous Science Students inquiries identify content descriptions in the Australian Curriculum which can be related to a traditional context and developed into a hands-on scientific inquiry. Seven inquiries have been developed and are currently being implemented into schools across Australia.

All I2S2 resources are available only to participating schools via a shared program resource portal.

Chemical sciences
Solids, liquids and gases have different observable properties and behave in different ways
(ACSSU077 )

Traditional cooking methods

Year 5 What's Cooking resources

Year 5 What's Cooking resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
Does food cook faster when it is wrapped or unwrapped?Guided inquiry
Does food cook faster with the lid on or with the lid off?
Does food cook better when it is in the ground or on the surface?
What effect does adding salt have on boiling water?

Physical sciences
Light from a source forms shadows and can be absorbed, reflected and refracted
(ACSSU080 )

Traditional shelters and shadows

Year 5 Keeping Cool resources

Year 5 Keeping Cool resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
What is the best way to face a shelter to maximise the amount of shade produced?Guided inquiry
How does shelter design affect the amount of shade produced?
Does using more layers of cover material keep the shelter cooler?
How does the time of day affect the amount of shade produced?

Chemical sciences
Changes to materials can be reversible or irreversible (ACSSU095 )

Traditional use of resins

Year 6 Lets Stick It Together resources

Year 6 Lets Stick It Together resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
How effective is resin as an adhesive?Guided inquiry
Does water affect the strength of resin as an adhesive?
Does the effectiveness of resin as an adhesive change with reuse?
Does resin add more strength to a join than using a binding material only?

Biological sciences
The growth and survival of living things are affected by physical conditions of their environment (ACSSU094 )

Indigenous understanding of plant availability and distribution

Year 6 Grow and Survive resources

Year 6 Grow and Survive resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
How does salt water affect the growth of plants?Guided inquiry
How do different amounts of fertiliser affect plant growth?
How effective is ash as a fertiliser for plant growth?

Physical sciences
Change to an object’s motion is caused by unbalanced forces, including Earth’s gravitational attraction, acting on the object (ACSSU117 )

Traditional use of spear throwers

Year 7 Throw It Far resources

Year 7 Throw It Far resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
How effective is using a ball thrower compared to throwing by arm alone?Guided inquiry
How does the length of the ball thrower affect the distance travelled by the ball?
How does the weight of the ball affect the distance travelled when thrown with a ball thrower?

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
Can a fire be started more easily using the hand drill method or fire saw method?Guided inquiry
Which combination of wood is the best for starting a fire using the hand drill/fire saw method?
Which material makes the best tinder?

Biological sciences
Ecosystems consist of communities of interdependent organisms and abiotic components of the environment; matter and energy flow through these systems (ACSSU176 )

Using fire to manage the land

Year 9 Burn and Grow resources

Year 9 Burn and Grow resources

Inquiry questions to be investigated?Scaffolded inquiry
How does fire affect seed germination of native species?
How does heat affect seed germination of native species?Guided inquiry
Is it the smoke rather than the heat which breaks seed dormancy?
Is abrasion better than heat for seed germination of some native species?